Tielemans guides Belgium to comfortable 6-0 win in Liechtenstein

NEW DELHI: Captain Youri Tielemans scored twice as Belgium cruised to a 6-0 win over minnow Liechtenstein in their 2026 World Cup qualifying Group J at the Rheinpark Stadion on Thursday, with winger Malick Fofana netting his first international goal. Maxim De Cuyper, Arthur Theate and Kevin De Bruyne were also on target for Belgium, which was never unduly troubled by its host and might have won by a far greater margin had it taken its chances.

The victory takes it to seven points from its three qualifiers so far and third position in the pool, three points behind leader Wales, but with two games in hand. Liechtenstein is bottom with four defeats.

Belgium had to wait 29 minutes for its opener despite creating numerous chances as De Cuyper headed in Thomas Meunier’s cross from the right, before Theate crashed a 30-yard shot against the crossbar.

It was 1-0 at halftime, but inside a minute of the restart, Tielemans produced an excellent volley from 25 yards that nestled into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Theate did get his first international goal when he headed home at the back post from a De Cuyper cross, and De Bruyne’s neat finish from Hans Vanaken’s excellent reverse pass made it 4-0.

Tielemans scored his second from the penalty spot on 70 minutes and there was a late goal for Fofana in his second international cap as he finished a well-worked Belgium move. Agencies

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